? about cycling

[Stingslider]

I been cycling a 10 gallon with fish food. So far my ammonia level dropped to 0 from like 5 and my nitrite level is still high. I gonna say it .2 ppm maybe more.

Any idea when I should see nitrite level dropped to 0. Do I really need a nitrate test kit?

And I should probably change like 90 percent of the water and vaccum the fish food waste out right?

[Chrona]

I been cycling a 10 gallon with fish food. So far my ammonia level dropped to 0 from like 5 and my nitrite level is still high. I gonna say it .2 ppm maybe more.

Any idea when I should see nitrite level dropped to 0. Do I really need a nitrate test kit?

And I should probably change like 90 percent of the water and vaccum the fish food waste out right?

How long have you been cycling it for? The nitrite spike usually lasts for a while longer than the ammonia one, because the bacteria that eats it multiplies slower.

A nitrate test kit would definitely help

After nitrites and ammonia are all zero, then do a 75% water change and LIGHTLY vacuum the gravel. Don't touch the filter at all. Add fish asap.

In the future, adding pure ammonia is the way to go, since it leaves no residue and the rate at which it releases ammonia into the water is consistent because well.....it IS ammonia, heh.

[Drumachine09]

I been cycling a 10 gallon with fish food. So far my ammonia level dropped to 0 from like 5 and my nitrite level is still high. I gonna say it .2 ppm maybe more.

Any idea when I should see nitrite level dropped to 0. Do I really need a nitrate test kit?

And I should probably change like 90 percent of the water and vaccum the fish food waste out right?


First of all, fish food cycling wasnt the way to go. But thats ok. You should be seeing a drop in nitrites, and increasing nitrates. when you get increasing nitrates, huge WC and done.

[Stingslider]

well I had high nitrate level for the past week, I believe.

I know fish food wasn't the way to go but lil late now.

[Drumachine09]

well I had high nitrate level for the past week, I believe.

I know fish food wasn't the way to go but lil late now.

Hmmmm. Did your nitrITES ever zero out?

[Chrona]

He still has nitrites. The problem with adding fish food is that you are adding a different amount of ammonia each day, so the nitrite spike could just be a little too much fish food from a few days before. If the cycling process has been going a while (month-ish), I would assume that it's already sufficiently cycled. If nitrite is only 0.2 ppm, then don't worry about it. Just add fish and keep the water aerated.